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Obsidian Knights
"Let us tally the forces arrayed against us: the vicious Dark Eldar, preying upon our citizens, the wild Greenskins, destroying needlessly, Tyranids devouring all in their path, and '' ''countless more xenos, traitors, and daemons aside. Perhaps if all these foes banded together, they might cause my company break a sweat." ~Librarian-Captain Olbyn Kraedes Origins The Knights held their origins in the Imperial Fists 3rd Chapter, 14th Company, Aegis Company. Led by Tybir Selcund, the 14th company was, undoubtably, made of the most disciplined melee fighters in the legion. The Aegis would often be held in reserve, mounted in thunderhawks, to be rapidly deployed in response to breaches in fortifications. During the attack on Terra at the climax of the Horus Heresy, it was the 14th company that, time and time again, were deployed to counter attack the invading forces and beat them away from the walls, giving time for the defenses to be mended. Of course, history has often told us the story, the result of the Heresy, and the battle for Terra: victory, at great cost. The 14th company shared in this cost, losing near ninety percent of its strength in the battle. Aegis Company was absorbed into the newly formed Imperial Fists chapter. A pride was held among the veterans of the 14th company, and they adorned their armor with special badges to show their origins and status. These veterans formed a nearly separate group within the chapter, and while Dorn was proud of their achievements, he saw the future issues with their self-imposed elite status. The veterans of the 14th company, along with a large group of fresh recruits, were broken off from the Imperial Fists by Dorn, to form a new chapter, the Obsidian Knights. Dorn gave command of the new Obsidian Knights to Tybir Selcund. The Knights found a home on Requiem, a medieval ocean planet in the Calixis System. Over the course of the past ten thousand years, the Knights have relatively kept to themselves. Near the frontier of unexplored space, the Obsidian Knights are fairly autonomous, and fight against any and all comers in their own sector. Rarely, they have been called upon, though their elite attitude, earned though it is, often rubs against other Astartes in a way that strains inter-chapter relationships. Organisation The Obsidian Knights hold very close to the Codex Astartes in terms of compliance. However, they do deviate in several areas. While most chapters hold an equal ratio of Librarians to Chaplains, the Knights have a far greater number of Librarians in their chapter than most, and a good fewer Chaplains. In addition, while most members of the Epistolary never hold command positions within a Chapter, many captains and chapter masters of the Obsidian Knights have been psykers trained by the Epistolary. The Knights also have a strange design to the organizing of their squads. While most all chapters keep the traditional ten marines to a squad, the Obsidian Knights commonly field twelve Astartes per squad. Tybir Selcund introduced the practice early in the chapter's history, citing that an even dozen gave much greater strength and flexibility than the usual ten. Consequently, the chapter tends to field Thunderhawks, Stormravens, and Drop Pods in greater numbers, due to the Rhino having a capacity for only ten Astartes. Also, each company holds an average strength of one hundred and twenty Astartes, and the chapter itself commonly sits at twenty percent greater numbers than the average codex compliant chapter. While many chapters place their Dreadnought-bound brethren into stasis between battles, the Obsidian Knights keep their Dreadnoughts awake. Indeed, many Astartes who become Dreadnoughts within the Obsidian Knights are kept as valued elders, two of which, brother Geth Ibarul and brother Kair Nothas, wear the badges of the Imperial Fists 14th Aegis Company. This practice is in part due to the Obsidian Knights' reverance with their fallen 'ancestors' from the chapter. The walls of the Citadel are carved with the names of each Knight, and it is a right of passage that, up on earning one's black carapace, that he should carve his name into the keep's massive wall. Neophytes of the Knights meditate upon the battlements or at the foot of the wall often, seeking strength and guidance from past Knights. Tactics True to their origins, the Obsidian Knights have a great preference for melee combat. Attacks from the Knights often involve a bombardment from orbiting ships, to soften up enemy defenses, followed closely by drop pod assaults. Thunderhawks quickly deploy and bring reinforcements directly to the front lines, while bikers flank enemy forces. Every marine is kitted with his standard bolter and bolt pistol, though each Knight also brings a longsword and combat shield into battle, for when the fighting inevitably gets into close quarters. Obsidian Knight Bike squa ds, called Cavaliers, have also formed a unique tactic. Traditional twin-mounted bolters are removed, replaced instead by a combat shield and power lance. The Cavaliers will often wait until battle is joined by the primary forces before joining, waiting till the flank opens to charge. Moving at high speed, the bikes form a charging line and sweep through the enemy's ranks like scythes through wheat. Cavalier squads will often work in conjuncture with one another, charging from multiple sides and passing one another in the middle of the enemy force, softening the exit for the other squad as they pass and leave where the other squad entered. A quick about-face is given, and the process is repeated. Often, a third charge is unnecessary. Another tactic, or rather, cur iosity, of the Obsidian Knights, is rather strange. During battle, the Obsidian Knights will sing hymns. These battle songs often have two topics: praise of the Emperor, and honoring of the deeds of past Knights. While those unfamiliar with these practices first hand may find it strange, the effect of a full company of Astartes, singing in unison, is tremendous on the battlefield. The Knights are united in song, the rhythm of their words allowing them to flow together in a way that many witnesses have said to look almost coreographed. Of course, to loyal citizens of the Imperium, the sound of the Knights' hymns are inspiring. To the enemies of man, however, it is a terrifying sound. Occasionally, if an enemy is proving to be thoroughly disinteresting or easy, Knights will challenge themselves to time their blows, blocks, and shots with the tempo of the current hymn. Equipment A far greater than average number of suits of Artificer Armor can be found in the armories of the Obsidian Knights. This is, in part, to their relative dislike of bulkier tactical dreadnought suits. Each suit of power and artificer armor held by the chapter also has its own ledger of previous owners, and the deeds they performed in said armor. The Obsidian Knight's ancestral practices are thoroughly spread throughout their use of arms and armor. Each blade, bolter, and shield's past wielder's are known and studied by the current user, and it is a taboo within the chapter to use equipment of another Astartes, or from the reserve stores, without learning of at least some of the weapon's or armor's history. There is a great preference for melee weaponry within the chapter, and while they have no shortage of bolters, missile launchers, and other such weapons for when ranged combat is a necessity, the number of power weapons, combat shields, and other such things, is extraordinary within the chapter's armory. The Knights field several pieces of unique weaponry, the most unusual of which is the power lance. Each marine also carries a combat shield into battle, and will wield it at range with a bolter, using a notch on the shield as a brace when firing, or in close combat with his sword or lance. Every marine in the Knights also has his own bike. On long campaigns, squads and companies will often move around the warzone on bikes, rather than in traditional rhinos. Each bike is just as individualized as the armor worn by an Astartes, and often have their own names. Each Knight cares for his own bike, cleaning and maintaining it, knowing full well that a healthy steed to ride into battle upon is vital. These bikes are also sometimes as ornately decorated and unique as a marine's power armor is. The Obsidian Knight's preference for quick, rapid response combat leads them to field far more airborne vehicles than ground based ones. The majority of ground based armor in the chapter's motor pool are used in siege warfare, primarily Whirlwinds and Vindicators. Predators, Land Raiders, and Rhinos are far less numerous among the Knights than with other conventional chapters. The lack of a dedicated forge world is one factor in this development, the forges of the Citadel often ablaze at all hours of the day to churn out ammunition, replacement parts, and new weapons, in the saddened case of a weapon being lost or destroyed beyond repair. Culture The Obsidian Knights often experience relatively long periods of peace (a year or two without a battle, to an Astartes, is nearly unheard of), their remote positioning in the Imperium leaving them with, mostly, threats from roving xenos. To cope with the peace, and not grow dull in their skills, the Obsidian Knights often spar and duel among themselves. The Citadel, monastery fortress of the Obsidian Knights, is surrounded on four sides by large practice fields, one of which is used for mounted practice, another for ranged drills, the third for spars and duels, and the last for the training of recruits, and the holding of large, chapter-wide tournaments. These tournaments are used for Knights to potentially advance in rank, gain honors, or for neophytes to earn their way to full initiation. The gates of the practice yards are open to the civilians of the surrounding city of Taelsmir, capitol of Requiem. The citizens of Requiem are widely unaware of the Imperium at large, a semi-backwater planet with medeival roots. The Obsidian Knights are viewed as the great protectors of the planet, sent by the god-Emperor (no connection to common Imperial Cult worship). Each Knight is well known by the public at large, and every Knight's personal heraldry is hung upon the walls of the practice yards. It is seen as a great honor for a son to join the Knights, and most every family keeps a record of its lineage, showing every Knight to have come from their bloodline. It is also common practice for citizens to have favorite Knights, and will cheer for them in sparring sessions and tournaments. This, combined with the tournaments, provides a competative system for the Knights, who therefore always seek greater self improvement.